Zoetis Inc. has started shipping Vanguard CIV H3N2/H3N8, the company’s newest vaccine against canine influenza virus.
The product launch, announced Dec. 12, offers protection from both the H3N2 and H3N8 dog flu strains.
“Dogs that attend day care, visit the dog park or stay at boarding facilities are all at risk for contracting either strain of CIV,” said Michigan State University assistant professor Stephan Carey, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM.
“There is no way to predict whether it will be CIV H3N2 or CIV H3N8 that infects your area, so it is better to help protect against both strains,” said Dr. Carey, speaking on behalf of Zoetis. “This bivalent vaccine allows you do to that efficiently.”
A nationwide outbreak of the H3N2 virus in 2015 infected thousands of dogs, killing some.
The new vaccine is administered subcutaneously to healthy dogs 8 weeks or older. Two doses are given three weeks apart.
No significant adverse events were reported during a test of the vaccine involving 364 dogs, Zoetis noted.
The Parsippany, New Jersey, company also makes Vanguard CIV H3N2 and Vanguard CIV H3N8.